Mayweather vs McGregor – Shit I am going!

Mayweather vs McGregor the fight of the century or so the hype tells us. Everyone knows about it, even those with little to no interest in boxing, so I won’t waste time on the details.

Well now the tickets are now for sale or sold out. In an attempt to get tickets into the hands of fans they partnered with Ticketmaster to use the verified fans system.

Overview of how this worked: You registered with Ticketmaster, or if you had previously bought from them they invited you to register your interest in the fight by putting in the usual details including your mobile number. Then if you were selected you would receive a code allowing you to buy up to 2 tickets for the fight. If you were not from the US you got an email instead of a text. This email/text would be sent a few hours before the tickets went on sale.

How do I know this? Because I got an email asking me if I wanted to register. I guess when I went to New York last year to see the Keith Thurman/Shawn Porter fight that was enough for Ticketmaster to decide I could register as a verified fan. So off course I did. I mean I didn’t think I would get the code, what would the odds be? With the demand and only 20000 tickets? Surely slim!

I didn’t even know the prices at the time so out of interest I had a look. $500 dollars for the cheapest, $10 K for the most expensive. So not cheap, I mean who would pay those sorts of prices? Surely if the aim was to get the fans in you would price it accordingly?

Did this work? Well no. Very quickly codes alone where selling for a couple of hundred dollars and these didn’t even guarantee you a ticket. Just an opportunity to try and get one if you were lucky. Then there are those who have got tickets and have simply started reselling. Floor tickets listed on stubhub for $100K! 10x its original value! Even $500 tickets selling for double the price.

Then Monday afternoon, I got an email with an offer code! What on earth do I do? Do I now actually try and get tickets! Of course I do. If nothing else just to see what happens.

So there I was 6pm (UK time) looking to get tickets. My first thoughts were let’s try and get a couple of tickets in the rafters. so I went for the $500 tickets and couldn’t get any. Wasn’t really surprised, so then I went up to $1500 and again nothing! So, I took it up to any of the tickets for $3500 or cheaper and again nada. By now 10 minutes passed and I was certain all tickets were sold. So I thought what happens if I go for a single ticket rather than a pair.

And then it happened. I had a ticket. $3500! Or more precisely $3,808.41 once all the costs were taken into account. So now decision time, was I going to spend this much on a single ticket or quickly close my browser and head home? I mean that is over £3000, hardly loose change. I thought what the hell and I went ahead and purchased it. Then realization dawned. I have just spent £3000. What do I do! Well spend another £1200 on flights and hotel of course! So I am spending £4,200 on a weekend by myself in Vegas to watch a fight that could last 3 minutes. Why!

Of course it’s not just about the boxing. If I really wanted to see a super fight I would spend it on going to see Canelo against GGG. Not a fight between someone who has never fought vs someone who hasn’t fought in a couple of years.

Even though the undercard looks like it will be interesting with Gervonta Davis defending his title, and Badou Jack moving up in weight. Both fighters who could top a billing in their own right. Additionally, the debut for Brit Savannah Marshall (so at least I can cheer on a home boxer). Even so, it’s not an undercard you would end up spending £4k to watch.

This is far more about the whole event. The way I see it if you are going to do Vegas you might as well do it over the top and extravagant. And that is what this fight is. It’s about the hype, everything being blown out of all proportion. It’s about the atmosphere and saying I was there. Who here isn’t slightly jealous of me and my ticket! Who wouldn’t want to go if they could afford it (or even if they couldn’t)! If I am going to do it then I might as well do it properly. No point in staying in some hotel on the outskirts so I found on one the strip and across the road from the T-Mobile arena! Whilst I couldn’t use my airmiles to buy the flights. I have used them to upgrade my economy ticket to business class.

Well a month is a long time to go. I am sure between now and then I will keep looking at the prices tickets are reselling for and a part of me will think about selling. However deep down I know I am going to go. I am going to make the most of the weekend, waste more money gambling and come back hopefully with great memories and maybe some pics and an article to share with all of you!